The nerd, the hipster, and the mermaid
by Cactuslotus
Summary: After a night on the water almost took a deadly turn, Sollux and Eridan discover a mermaid named Feferi who is obsessed with the land. Being friends won't be easy while they try to keep her under the radar, and stay under the radar themselves.(Merstuck. Warning for dark material in later chapters.)
1. Chapter 1

I banged on the ridiculously oversized doors with a grumble, not excited by the upcoming event at hand. Who the hell needed doors this big anyway? The doors were ten feet tall and eight feet wide, covered in ornate metal mermaids amongst metal waves. It shouldn't be surprising to me that the Ampora family household had a door like this considering that Mr. Ampora ran the aquarium and had a love for the water he forced his sons to endure. Also because the gigantic mansion he called home sat on a cliff overlooking the ocean.

"How you doin' chief?" Cronus smiled as he leaned in the doorway, having come to the door before Eridan. He was nailed in the head with a Harry Potter book and a moment later Eridan stood at the door.

"So you actually show-wed up." Eridan shut the door behind him. "W-well we don't have all night. Come on." Eridan grabbed my hand and dragged me with him.

"Why wouldn't I thow up? The view from the othean ith probably better than my apartment." I continued following him even after he let go of my hand. We took the short cut down the stones in his yard to the beach to see the waves lapping low along the shoreline. He lead the way to the short pier that started at the patio overlooking the ocean and quickly we were both in the only boat at the end of the pier. "Are you thure we can go out on the boat?"

Eridan sighed. "Yes Sol. If I didn't do you think I w-would be here? Besides, dad thinks it's good practice for me." He untied the rope, but waiting a moment before tossing it onto the pier. "Do you w-want to see the firew-works or not?"

"Hell yeth."

With that the rope was tossed to the pier as Eridan took to the controls. The boat's motor hummed as we went out into the waves, and I held on tightly to the seat next to Eridan. The boat felt like it was going over bumps, but Eridan didn't seem concerned so it must be a normal thing. Eventually the boat slowed then came to a stop.

"Don't tell me you're scared to get up." Eridan pulled me up to my feet. "Sol, the w-water is outside the boat. You don't have to sw-wim at all."

I still wasn't sure about this. It seemed like such a great idea to come out on the water to watch the fireworks for Fourth of July, but now that I'm out here on this rocking boat for from shore it seemed like a terrible idea. "Why did I let you trick me into thith?"

"It's just a boa-" Eridan stopped a moment. "You've never been on a boat, have you?" I shook my head frantically no. "Sol, you're going to be fine. You can sw-wim, even if like a panicked dog paddle, and the boat w-won't rock any w-worse than this. As soon as the firew-works stop I w-will take us back."

"Why not now?"

"Because I w-want to w-watch the firew-works Sol." Eridan looked over the water to a boat off a ways. "See that boat? They launch firew-works for the Fourth of July. W-when they are done w-we w-will go back."

"Who ith that?" I could barely make out the blond heads on the boat.

"The Striders." They seemed to be doing something. "W-what are the-" suddenly a bottle rocket sped over, hitting the water mere feet away.

"Wath that on axident?" In answer several more bottle rockets were sent our way, although none of them got closer then a few feet. Still, it was terrifying that they kept being shot our way. "Get me off thith crazy thing!" I was probably choking Eridan with my death grip, but I don't want to get shot with fireworks in the middle of the fucking ocean. These waters were already bad enough to begin with. Eridan was just trying to keep us both upright, but he soon failed because we both went toppling over onto the deck. We stayed down even after the squeals of bottle rockets stopped and boom off other explosives. When we both got up I had to stand on my own shaking legs, leaning against the boats edge for support on this rocking nightmare.

"Are they done?" I looked up just as they had set up something. I realized it was a mortar as they were setting it off. It boomed and my head was spinning already and before I knew it I was sinking in the tossing icy waves. I was trying desperately to get air, reaching air to cough out the burning salt water from my lungs and barely getting air before I was tossed under again. I don't want to die, not here in this fucking cold ass water, not now. I swear I heard someone yelling my name, but their voice got farther, the water darker, and my lungs burned from the salty water I had accidentally breathed in and my lack of air.

It was a struggle trying to swim my pathetic swim to the surface and try not to breath in the water, and just as I was about to breath something had a hold of me. I panicked only to find that the arms felt human, dragging me up. As soon as my head broke the water I coughed up the water and started desperately sucking in air. "Are you okay guppy?" A high, girlish voice asked right next to my ear. That definitely wasn't Eridan or Strider.

I panicked and ended up going under again only for those arms to hoist me up. "Woah! You'll drown again!"

I clung to this girl, who I didn't even know. I'm freezing, confused, and need to get back on that god awful boat as soon as possible. "Please don't let me drown."

She giggled. "Alrighty then. Do you need to go back to the land or something?"

"I was on a boat." I looked over my shoulder to where I could hear my name being shouted to see the boat. Immediately she was carrying me over to the boat.

I must have tightened my grip because she started giggling again. "I'm just getting you back to the boat gilly!"

"Right, I knew that."

"Sol!" Eridan spotted me. I was very quickly at the side of the boat and with the girl pushing me up and Eridan pulling me in I was back on the boat in no time. "Thank you for your help! I don't know-w w-what I would have done if he had drow-wn."

"That'th actually thurprithingly nithe of you."

"W-well, I'm supposed to kill you not the fucking ocean."

"You motherfucker." I looked over to the girl. With the light of the boat I could make out what she looked like. Her hair was long and dark, floating all around her in the water. Her eyes were like fuchsia gems surrounded by long eyelashes and her face had a slight chubbiness to it that made her look adorable. She was about the same age as me and Eridan, and to my surprise I couldn't remember her from anywhere. I knew everyone who lived here, yet she seemed to get past my radar. Maybe she was a tourist? "What's your name?"

"My name's Feferi. What's your names?" She looked up at us with excitement.

"I'm Thollux, that'th Eridan."

"Sollux? That's a weird name."

"That's because it's short for S-" I covered his mouth. My name was stupid and there was no way I'm letting him tell this cute girl that just saved my ass my horrible name. Unfortunately he overpowered me. "Short for Solluxander."

"That's a cool name!" Feferi smiled.

"Hey, do you w-want to come aboard?" Eridan asked. "The w-water is freezing."

"Woah, I can come aboard?!" Feferi seemed insanely excited. "I've never been on a actual floating boat before!"

"Yes. Need help up?" Eridan asked. She nodded and we both helped her up. Neither of us were ready to believe, to our surprise, when we saw her tail.

Her tail was covered in fuchsia scales except for her fins. She had the tail fin along with two fins on her side and a dorsal fin, the last three fins I mentioned barely poking out under the soaked oversized black hoodie that hung off one shoulder. She also had ear fins, which had several golden earrings and a fishhook bent into an earring. Her hair went well past where her fins poked out from under her hoodie around where her waist would be if she had legs.

It was a moment of complete silence as Eridan and I took in what we were seeing. Eridan broke the silence. "You're a mermaid?"

"I'm a mermaid? So that's what humans call us."

"Us?"

She turned to look at me again. "Yeah. Of course, there are none in this area except for me."

"Tho it'th jutht you? What happened to the other mermaidth?"

"The shoreline is dangerous because humans can find us easier, but you guys always forget all sorts of cool stuff in the water. Like-" she pulled out a piece of seaweed, unwrapping it to reveal a shard of green glass. "-this stuff! Oh," she wrapped it up again before setting it down and pulling out a plastic shovel," and this, and these things." She pulled out a little bag, made from what I don't know, and opened it to reveal that it was full to the brim with coins. "And of course this thing." She gestured to her hoodie, putting her things back in her pockets. "And you guys talk funny too!"

"Tho you don't naturally thpeak Englith?"

"Nope!"

"Then how-w do you know-w English?"

"I picked it up from the humans on the boats. Lots of them come out here to get fish."

I wanted to chat the night away with fish girl, but I also don't want to be on this boat any longer than I have to. "We need to go home, but ith it okay if we talk to you tomorrow?"

"Can I go with you? Please, just to the shore?" Feferi gave us big pleading eyes. "I've never seen a human home before."

"Sure, but isn't it dangerous for you near the shore?"

"Only if I get stuck."

"Alright then." Eridan seemed a bit concerned about her, but didn't say anything. We worked together to carry her over to the bench to the controls, sitting her down between the two of us as Eridan checked over the controls. I had one arm around Feferi to help hold her up and the other digging into the side of my seat, Feferi's arms wrapped around me as well. The bumpy ride back didn't seem as bad as the one there, and before I knew it we were back to the pier where we had started.

"That's a human house?" Feferi looked at it in awe. "It's huge!"

"Believe me, the house ith bigger than they uthually are." I slowly got up, along with Eridan. "Need help getting back in the water?

She looked at the edge of the boat and nodded. Eridan and I had to work together to lift her up and carry her to the side, then we tried to gently put her back in the water, but she slipped from our grip and splashed us both. "I'll meet you guys here tomorrow, okay?" She smiled excitedly, just overjoyed.

"Yeah. See you tomorrow-w." Eridan waved to her.


	2. Chapter 2

When I woke up I panicked for a moment only to remember I was staying at Eridan's house in the guest bedroom. I should have realized that when I woke up in the soft bed, or the lack of annoying police sirens or honking of horns in traffic. I hadn't brought over anything because I hadn't planned on staying over, wearing a spare pair of Eridan's pajamas because my clothes had been soaked from what happened last night.  
Feferi came to mind, and all I could think of in that moment was her. Her glistening eyes, her amazing laugh, her shining scales, her beautiful smile. And then Aradia popped in my head with her cute walk, her lit up expression as she got excited over dead things, her fluffy hair, her rounded features and her eyes that seemed to hold you. And then Eridan came to mind with his smug grin, his tanned muscular form, his mock hate of magic when I knew he still thought it was so real, his wavering w's, and how even if we fought he still would help me if I needed a hand- no no no! Why am I thinking of Eridan like this? I hate that smug asshole. I purely hate him and everyone knows it.  
Except that we are best friends. Best friends who joke about trying to kill each other and have the occasional fight. I'm a stupid piece of shit sometimes, why would I ever think this? I get up, walking into the bathroom adjacent to the guest room to check on my clothes only to see that they weren't there. My first thought was Eridan.  
I walk down the hall to Eridan's room to find that he's not there. A hand spun me around by my shoulder, and I realized Eridan was already dressed in a wetsuit with trunks over it for some stupid reason. "W-well good morning sleeping beauty." He thrust a rolled up wetsuit into my hands. "Get dressed."  
I went into the bathroom and got dressed quickly, rushing out only to run into Eridan. He shoved me off then lead the way out the back door. I'm just glad that the first floor lead out to the pier and the beach. We both slipped on the water shoe things before going out the back door. It still felt strange wearing a wetsuit, and I only have it because my dad works at the aquarium and I help him sometimes, but I always left it at Eridan's house.  
As soon as we reached the end of the pier I looked over at Eridan, motioning for him to hop in the water. "Ladieth firtht." He shoved me into the water, and immediately Feferi had her arms around me, keeping my head above water.  
She looked like she was going to burst from excitement. "You guys came back!" She spun while still holding me up, her grip turning into more of a hug as she buried her face against my chest and her ear fins wiggled. Honestly it was amazingly cute. "Come her!" She dragged Eridan in as well, only a startled yelp from him as he was dragged under. He quickly realized his fate as he joined the giant mermaid hug.  
"Of course w-we came back. W-why w-wouldn't w-we?"  
Feferi didn't answer, just looked off to the side a moment with sadness written across her face. It was gone in an instant as she began smiling again. "You guys are my new fronds!"  
Did she overhear pun-filled conversations when learning English or was she doing sea puns on purpose? Wasn't a mermaid telling sea puns a joke in itself? I'm not super sure I want the answer to that. "Did you thleep alright?"  
"Hm? Oh, yeah I did! There is a little cave where this pier starts and I found lots of seaweed nearby to rest on. And I found new stuff, like this." She let go of Eridan before pulling out beer bottle caps and a pair of fuchsia goggles. "Aren't these super cool?"  
"You found all of that along the beach?" Eridan eyed the stash in her hand.  
"Yup. Humans forget a lot of stuff along the shore. I really hope they don't mind me taking it, because I'm not sure who's it is." She put it back in her pocket.  
"Hey I brought you something." He pulled out a squirt gun from his swim trunk's pocket and held it out to her.  
"What's that?" She looked over it curiously, and I tried calmly paddling so she would have both hands to go over it. She immediately used both free hands to turn it over in her hands as she looked over it, smile growing wider and wider. She saw the little tab to fill it with water and tugged on it, little bubbles immediately trailing up. She moved it out of the water, accidentally pulling the trigger and squirting Eridan in the face. Immediately realization was in her eyes and with a smug grin she held it underwater. As soon as the bubbles stopped she immediately started squirting both of us.  
She started giggling as we both tried to block our faces from the squirt gun. "This is so cool! I'm going to carry this everywhere."  
"You know-w amongst humans there is an unspoken rule that you must say 'pew-w pew-w' as you shoot the squirt gun?"  
"Woah really? Okay!" She refilled her squirt gun. "Pew pew!" She squirt me in the face.  
"I have been thlain." I did a dramatic twirl before continuing to paddle to keep my head above water. She was laughing and so was Eridan.  
"W-we need to go back inside, but w-we w-will be back soon."  
"You're leaving already?"  
"W-we w-will be back soon. Sol has to check on his brother and come back and we both haven't eaten yet."  
"Do you need uth to get you thomething to eat?" I ask. I'm not sure what mermaids eat.  
"I ate already, no worries."  
"What did you eat?"  
"Seaweed and fish."  
That was a really reasonable answer. I'm not sure what I was expecting- waffles? Cereal? Poptarts? A bagel? That would have been more surprising than the actual answer. I climbed back onto the pier with Eridan. "We will come back thoon, alright?"  
"Bye." Feferi smiled before disappearing into the waves.

"Tho, found any new dead thingth?" I looked up to Aradia from my dad's laptop. I just had to get it up and running again and I would be able to go visit Feferi. But right now I could talk to Aradia, the girl of my dreams. Of course a mermaid had to come into my life and make things all the more complicated.  
"Yes. I found a seagull and a mouse today. I'm going to stuff them and then we can have a little corpse party. You want to join?" Aradia smiled at me.  
"When is it at?"  
"Probably eight. I have to finish some stuff up first."  
"Sounds like a plan. Want little party hats for your dead guests?"  
"Yes." Aradia smiled, not in a way people usually liked, but in the way where the first word in your head to describe was psychotic. Still, that smile wasn't easy to beat. I could get time in with Feferi before meeting up with Aradia.  
I need to get back to fixing the laptop. If my dad doesn't have his laptop he can't work on the files for the different specimen and tank communities as he gave them once overs and health checks. He'll have his computer back in a few minutes.


	3. Chapter 3

I followed the stone pathway down the side of Eridan's house to the beach, immediately looking for Feferi. As soon as I spotted those shining fuchsia scales under the dock I went over, wading through the waist deep water to her. I immediately spot the little cave like area under the pier she had mentioned, although a bit hidden from view by the big rocks to the sides of where the pier starts to encounter the dropping edge of the beach.  
"Sollux!" Feferi smiled. She was wearing the broken goggles she had found, the tops broken off in a way that her eyelashes poked out the top. "I found lots of cool stuff. Where's Eridan?"  
"That dumbath ith probably thtill cleaning up litter off the be-" at that moment Eridan drop kicked me, both of us tumbling into the water in a flurry of splashes.  
"W-wait for me next time." Eridan yanked me back up.  
"What the hell wath that for?"  
"Being an impatient prick Sol, that's w-what for."  
Feferi found our stupidity hilarious, and for a moment I thought I would have to punch Eridan for embarrassing me. "You are both so glubbing cute!" Wait, did she call us both cute?  
"Cute like adorable?"  
She looked to the side with small smile. "I guess you two are that kind of cute as well."  
Was my life a Disney movie? I can't be in love with some mermaid I just met, and she can't love two guys she just met. "You alright there Sol? Your face is a bit red."  
"Oh god, it ith?" He nodded. I covered my face. I was already bad enough talking with Feferi, but of course my stupid face had to go red. I felt Feferi pull me closer, and I knew it was Feferi because Eridan has rougher hands, and pulled my hands down.  
She looked really amazed by my red face. "Your face turned red."  
"Yeth I know."  
"That's really cool! Do all humans do that?"

"And mermaidth don't?"

"No, but humans do?"  
"Well, yeth, it'th normal for humanth. It thowth emotion and thtuff."  
"Does that mean you love me too?"  
Oh god, I was going to sound so fucking clique. "Who wouldn't love you FF?"  
She hugged me. "I love you too, Fef." Which of Karkat's god awful romcoms did My life get sucked into. You can't be in love with two guys at once... or could you? Technically I was also in love with Eridan, Feferi, and Aradia all at the same time, although Aradia was an aromantic ace and probably wouldn't be interested in going past friends. Our friendship was still amazing in itself, so I'm not complaining.  
Eridan joined the hug. Oh god, the fucking horrible romance cliches. I always thought my life was like a horror movie, but no- my life is a romcom riddled with cliches and embarrassments to keep me in a fucked up state.  
"You jutht hop into a relationthip jutht like that?"  
"Yeah. You can't really argue that we all get along, and you both seem to love me, so why not?"  
I'm not going to argue with that mermaid logic.  
"You know-w me and Sol hate each other, right?"  
"Then why do you keep helping each other?"  
Neither of us could answer that. "Didn't know you were bi Eridan."  
"Fef, he w-wasn't supposed to know-w that! How did you figure it out?" Eridan's face was turning a bit red, but his tan disguised most of his blush.  
"I've been out in these waters a while. I heard you talking to yourself about how nofin stole your eye like Solluxander!" Feferi giggled as she stayed out of Eridan's arm span as he desperately tried covering her mouth. "It was so cute to find out you were trying to hide it from him-" Eridan covered her mouth, desperately trying to keep her quiet.  
"Fef shush!" Eridan looked over at me. "I didn't fucking say that."  
"Oh yes you di-" he covered her mouth again.  
"At the rithk of thounding like a fucking horrible actor in a romcom, I have been in love with you for yearth and accept your bullthhit excuthe of a attempt to cover FF'th mouth ath being to much of a weakling to admit it. I think I'm thuppothed to be all like 'fucking thwoon, take the pathetic embarrathment that ith me in your manly arms'."  
"You've been hanging out with Kar to much."  
"That'th what I wath thinking."  
We then stayed in that group hug.

Over the next few days it we had a routine. I was staying over at Eridan's house over other day just so I could wake up and see Feferi in the morning. If I wasn't at Eridan's I would hurry through chores so I could go to his house to see Feferi. The three of us would talk, I was getting okay with the idea of having to swim, we would kiss, and Eridan or myself would bring something new to show Feferi. It was like a dream, and while Eridan still acted like a douche canoe, he was an amazingly skilled kisser which I honestly didn't expect.  
Feferi would mention how she wished we could all spend the night looking at the fish, but it didn't know how to snorkel, much less scuba dive and Eridan didn't want to raise suspicion by bringing his gear out here. We instead had to spend time watching the fish that dared to come out here to the shoreline until it was late and sleep inside while Feferi stayed in her little home under the pier. If I could stay out in the water without having to worry about drowning I would, but I can't.  
Eridan and I came down to the beach as the sun drop, like usual, but Feferi had this gleam to her eyes like she knew something game changing. Last time I saw that look she had found an intact beer bottle, hadn't even been opened, because someone knocked it off a boat while fishing and didn't notice. It took both Eridan and myself to convince her not to open it, much less under water.  
"Did you find thomething cool today FF?"  
"I found a way for you guys to join me underwater."  
"Really? How-w?"  
"It's a mermaid trick, but I hadn't really thought about it till now. Royal blood has special properties, so if you guys drink some you might be able to breath underwater."

"W-what do you mean?"

"Whale, to much blood and you might turn into mermaids, but you guys would probably die in the process. If you had just a little then you only get some of the abilities, and that means you might be able to breath underwater."

"Are you telling me that mermaid magic ith real?"

"I think that's what it means. I'm still a bit weak with my English. But would you guys try it?"

Duh fuck for brains, she might not understand everything. Mermaids don't exactly speak English as a first language. "I would, but from the thound of it it'th not guaranteed to work."

"It will work, you just might not get the ability to breath underwater. Mermaids have a wide range of skills they can be born with."

"I w-would try it and Sol would, but how-w do w-we get royal blood?"

Feferi pulled out the seaweed from her pocket and unwrapped the piece of glass, picking it up gingerly before putting it in her palm. She clenched her fist around the glass and blood started dripping from between her fingers. I felt sick to my stomach, not wanting to see Feferi hurt herself. She picked up the glass with her other hand, seaweed between her skin and the glass before sticking the bundle back in her pocket.

She held her injured hand to Eridan's mouth, and with a concerned look he shot my way, actually started drinking, Feferi running a hand through his hair in an attempt to calm him down as she hummed softly. His frightened look melted away really quickly as he gently drank the blood from her cut up palm. As she pulled her hand away he seemed to try following it a moment only to seem to come back to his senses.

Suddenly I had Feferi's hand pressing itself against my mouth. I wasn't sure I should do this, but that didn't stop me from licking up the blood. It felt wrong, maybe because I'm not a vampire or something stupid along those lines, but then it seemed to feel good. It still tasted like blood, but for some reason the back of my mind was forcing me to lap at the blood, almost like I was craving it. I wasn't sure if I was drinking to much blood or not, but Feferi seemed to just keep running a hand through my hair as her blood met my lips. For a moment I started leaning in towards her hand only to realize that she was pulling her hand away. I pulled back, suddenly completely aware of Eridan's horrified expression.

I could still feel some of the blood on my face, and realizing what I was just doing tried wiping it of my face. Feferi was the only one unfazed but what we just did, but maybe it was normal for a royal mermaid? Or even mermaids in general, I don't know how mermaids are. I just hope it was worth it.


	4. Chapter 4

I was completely exhausted- I had spent all day helping my dad move quarantine tanks and spent two hours swimming with Feferi after her mermaid attempt, although it didn't seem to work, and then I had to bike home from Eridan's house to home. Dad had to stay late because one of the sharks were having complications. I collapsed on my bed, ready to let the sounds of traffic put me to sleep.  
Suddenly I felt a pain run through my chest like static, but it was harsh like electricity and for a moment I couldn't breath. I sat up quickly as I tried taking in air only to give up on sitting up and fall to my side. My head wasn't even helping, tossed into a throbbing headache that made me want to grit my teeth if they didn't hurt as well. My body ached and burned and screamed at me in pain and I don't know why.  
The only reason for this I could think of was the blood. If this was mermaid magic or some shit then it was a lot worse than I thought it would be. My hand clamped over my mouth as I felt that unmistakable feeling of bile in my throat. I stumbled out of my room and the short distance to the bathroom, making it in time to grab the edge of the toilet before up chucking my dinner. I barely had time to suck in breaths between the waves of vomit. Oh god it hurts, everything hurts and before I knew it warm tears streaked down my face.  
I tensed when I felt a hand on my back. "Ththththth... it'th 'tuna. You okay Thollukth?" Mituna's muffled words reached my ears. I could even say something because between the choking sobs and the gagging and vomit, I was having a hard time with words. "Thollukth?"  
"I-I don't kn-now 'tuna."  
"Thould I call dad?"  
"N-no." I was cut off by another heave, oh god it hurt. "I'll be o-okay 'tuna."  
"No, you need dad."  
"Pleath-the 'tuna, don't call h-him."  
"But you're thick. Thick meanth call dad."  
"Jutht thith o-onthe 'tuna. Ple-eathe." I couldn't even look at Mituna right now because I was worried I might vomit on him. His hand start rubbing circles in my back and it just made me feel worse about this. I never kept anything from Mituna, nothing, but I didn't tell him about Feferi and he is just worried about me. He sounded scared, and I'm not sure if it was him or me that was the reason why his hand felt like it was shaking.  
Just as the vomiting finally stopped the pain reared its ugly head again. I tightened my grip on the edge of the toilet, just trying to keep from worrying Mituna. Kill me now, fuck mermaid magic, fuck this it hurts so much. I'm just a sobbing, gasping mess. I though Feferi said this wasn't the complete ordeal.  
"Thollukth!" Mituna pulled me into a hug, and I immediately heard him hiccup. Great my stupid ass made him cry.  
"I-I'm oka-ay 'tuna-a."  
"No! You'r-red not okay! I'm calling dad." I panicked, grabbing the cell phone out of his hand. He stared at me with big watering eyes.  
Most of the pain was leaving me now, even if I still felt like shit. "I'm okay 'tuna. I think it wath jutht thomething I had earlier."  
"Thollukth!" Mituna hugged me tightly with a sniffle. "Don't eat bad food, 'kay Thollukth?"  
"I won't. I have to go to bed now, okay 'tuna?"  
"O-okay." Mituna let me up. I would make it up to him, but first I needed to sleep.

I couldn't breath underwater, well not entirely. I'm okay for about ten minutes before I start having problems, but that wasn't even the biggest surprise. My teeth were a bit sharper, my ears slightly pointed, and my eyes felt strange for reasons I didn't quite know. I felt fine, great even, and even with my head in the bathtub full of water I could hear just fine.  
So I looked like some wannabe LARPer now, but my ears were hidden by my unruly blonde hair anyway, so no big deal. I don't talk much because I'm an embarrassment, so that handled the teeth situation. I couldn't even figure out what was going on with my eyes, nor see it. A quick check of my neck and I couldn't find anything. I almost couldn't believe it, but I made it through whatever that nightmare was the night before.  
I stopped when I spotted my dad talking to Mituna at the counter, both of them turning to look at me. "Well Sollux, care to explain what happened last night?" My dad looked over to me.  
"I ate bad food ith all, no worrieth."  
"No worries huh? Mituna called me panicking yesterday, something along the lines of you were vomiting and crying for a really long time and said to not call me before passing out. You had me worried, and your brother too."  
"I'm better now."  
"Sollux," my father sighed," if you're brother hadn't called me yesterday you would still be in the bathroom on the floor, possibly dead. You were in terrible shape last night."  
"I feel fine, honethte."  
Dad walked up to me and checked my temperature. He looked me over, but with a sigh he just walked back into the kitchen. He motioned for me to sit at the counter. A few minutes later I had broth and saltines set in front of me. "Here you go. I want you to stay inside today."  
"I wath going over to Eridan'th today. We found a bottle methage yethterday."  
"No, you are staying home."  
"Fine." I finished off the broth, slowly because if I tried hurrying my dad start telling me it wasn't a race. As soon as I was done I stomped off to my room and shut the door. I just wanted to see Eridan and Feferi, but now I can't. I was a stupid piece of shit!  
I froze when I heard the shattering of glass. I turn slowly, seeing the broken dragon figurine on the ground. I couldn't have knocked it over from where I had been, so what happened? I did the exact same motion, thinking of tossing it, and to my surprise the little glass dragon shards went flying to the side.  
I focused on something else and with a bit of effort my stack of game magazines lifted just a bit off my desk. Why the hell did I have telekinesis? When would a mermaid even need telekinesis to begin with? I can't breath underwater for more then ten minutes, but I have telekinesis. I'm really starting to wonder what mermaids have been up to.  
I lifted up the lamp, then let it float back down. Even though I'm concerned about what the hell is going on, telekinesis is still fucking awesome. I could lift all sorts of items from a paperclip up to around my size, but as soon as I tried something bigger it didn't seem to work. I really focused, trying to lift my dresser and just as it started to barely lift off the ground I felt something trickle out of my nose. My head started hurting and I ended up dropping my dresser as I slipped to my knees.  
Dad came in quickly, probably because of the loud thump of the dresser's minuscule descent back to the floor. "What were you doing?" He immediately pulled me up to my feet.  
Think fast shit wit! "I ran into my drether while mething around."  
"Sollux, you were supposed to be resting." He pulled me into the bathroom then pulled out some paper towels from under the sink. At first I didn't get it, but as soon as I looked in the mirror I saw the blood coming from my nose. My dad spun me around and held paper towels to my nose. He pulled the bloodied paper towel a bit later and held fresh ones. "Hold these in place for me." I did as he asked. He pinched part of my nose, getting new paper towels with the other hand. "Damn Sollux, what were you doing?"  
"Rocking out to muthic."  
My dad eyed me with concern. "I knew dubstep was threatening the youth."  
"You thound old."  
"And you slammed your head into your dresser." He sighed. "Well, the blood stopped. Now go back to your room and actually get some rest. I'm serious this time Sollux, take it easy."

As soon as I flopped down on my bed my phone started buzzing. I picked it up, realizing I hadn't mentioned any of this to Eridan.

"Thup'?"

"Are you alright Sol?"

"Latht night thucked. How are you holding up?"

"I don't think you're going to believe this."

"Well, I don't think you're going to believe thith, but I can't come over today."

"W-what? W-why?"

"Mituna thaw me latht night and told my dad. He'th making me thtay home thinthe I threw up, but jutht for today."

"He didn't notice anything?"

"No, why would he?"

"I don't know-w how-w to explain it. You'll see me tomorrow-w anyw-ways."

"What do you mean?"

"I've got to go." And with that he hung up in a hurry. The fuck is going on? I would see Eridan and Feferi tomorrow, but for today all I could do was hope that Eridan was having it better than I was and that Feferi was still doing well. Why did I have to fall in love with a mermaid?


	5. Chapter 5

I raced down the street, not even really having to petal the downhill path to Eridan's house yet doing so anyway. In fact, I was speeding along so fast I almost crashed head first into the front gate. I quickly locked it up and headed to the door.  
As soon as I rang the doorbell Eridan yanked me inside. I was going to yell at him, but then I noticed his scarf was wrapped around half his head. The only reason he wore that thing in the summer was because his grandmother made it, and so in her memory he was rarely seen without it. Most people just thought it was some sort of hipster thing to wear scarves all the time, even when it was insanely hot. I'm not sure if that's a thing or not.  
"What'th wrong?"  
"I don't know-w how-w to explain it. Just come here!" He dragged me along behind him, even down the steps to the first floor and then down the hall to his room before shutting the door. He pulled off his scarf and then his shirt. I was going to ask why, but as soon as I spotted ear fins I knew why, the gills on his sides was a huge surprise as well.  
"Gills?"  
"I know-w they're gills dumbass! I fucking w-woke up w-with gills yesterday."  
"Did you talk to FF about it?"  
"Yes, and she said this w-was normal. It didn't seem to happen to you."  
I moved my hair away from my ears. "I can't really breath underwater, but I can thtay under for a few minuteth. I couldn't find any gillth." I motioned towards the little knitted cat on his dresser and it floated a moment. "I can do that though."  
Eridan was dumbfounded. "How-w did you do that?"  
"I jutht can?"  
"Maybe w-we should ask Fef."  
I nod in agreement, both of us heading out to the little pier immediately. As soon as I slid into the water I felt arms around my waist. "I missed you!"  
"I mithed you too FF."  
"W-what about me?"  
"I talked to you on the phone asshat."  
Feferi's hand went under my shirt, and I froze. "No gills huh?"  
"No. I can thort of thtay underwater, but that'th ath clothe ath I can get."  
"Then lets try it out!" She dragged me underwater. She held me under, but not like she was trying to drown me but like I would float away if she didn't. I didn't want to open my eyes, knowing how it would burn to have salt water in my eyes. "Sollux, open your eyes." Feferi stated," Please?"  
I hesitantly took a breath before opening my eyes. My eyes didn't burn at all. I could see the light shining through the gaps in the wood planks that made the pier, the fish a bit off in the waters, and the shell and rocks partially buried in the sand ocean floor all in a slight clarity I wasn't expecting. It was amazing.  
"What are you doing out here boy?" Eridan's father growled. I almost reacted, but then I realized he couldn't see me hidden under the pier with Feferi.  
"Looking at the ocean. The w-water seems nice today."  
"Good, now I need you to help me."  
"W-with w-what?"  
"You are always cleaning litter off the beach, so hawe you seen anything odd?"  
"Odd like w-what?"  
"A fish, huge, with fuchsia scales." Dualscar was looking for Feferi. What did he know about her? I turn slowly to look to Feferi, seeing her concerned expression.  
"W-where did you see it last?"  
"Down a ways at the public beach."  
"I haven't seen the fuchsia fish, but maybe I could help you look over there."  
"No, I'we got it. Tell me if you spot it though."  
It was a tense wait, and just as breathing the water was very difficult Eridan turned to us. "He's gone now-w." As soon as the words left his mouth I scrambled out from under the pier and forced my head above water. I coughed up some water before sucking in air. "Sol?"  
"I'm fine. Like I thaid, I can thtay under, but not for long."  
"Your gills didn't fully form." Feferi stated. She held her finned ear to my chest, seeming to not hear well enough stuck her head under my shirt.  
"FF?"  
She came back up to the surface, pulling off my shirt as she did so. "Deep breaths okay?"  
"Wait, what are you doing?" I asked as she did all this. "Why did you take my thirt off?"  
"I'm trying to listen to your breathing silly! I'm trying to figure out what's wrong. So can you take deep breaths while I listen please?"  
I obeyed, taking a long breath in, then a long breath out. It felt weird to have her ear against my chest, and her piercings were cold. Just when I thought she was done I was forced underwater before she put her ear back to my chest. I continued taking deep breaths even under the water, wondering if this was even doing any good. The amount of time I spent stuck under water was definitely longer than when she was listening above water, and as I started becoming hard to breath she kept me under. As soon as I started choking on water she pulled me back up in a hurry and held me up.  
It sucked coughing up the water, and my lungs hurt as well. "What the actual fuck FF?"  
"I wasn't trying to drown you, don't worry." She sighed in relief. "But I'm glad that your airways aren't dangerously messed up. Your gills are working fine, but the water is getting stuck in you since you don't have anywhere for the water to go." She wasn't serious, was she? The water wasn't leaving after I got breath from it?  
"That actually makes sense. It must be because you don't have gill slits like Fef and I do, but otherw-wise you're airw-ways are like ours." Eridan added on. Great, my stupid fucking body didn't develop right.

"But that means you got a ability instead." Feferi looked over at me. "Do you know what it is?"

"Telekinethith."

"What does that mean?"

"It means he can move objects w-with his mind."

"Oh. Wait, he got that ability?" Feferi had worry written across her face.

"What'th wrong with it?"

"You can do a lot more than move things Sollux. You can generate electricity and maybe even be able to know if someone is about to die."

"Oh, that'th actually really cool."

"No Sollux, that's bad, very bad. If any other mermaid knew you had that ability they would kill you, or worse, hand you over to my mom."

"The must be a wonderful perthon."

Feferi grabbed my shoulders. "I'm being serious! Don't ever use your ability anywhere within eyesight of the ocean! Don't even think about it near the ocean!"

"Why can't I think about it?"

"Some mermaids have the ability to read thoughts, and I don't know if you're immune to it or not."

"Why didn't you warn uth about thomething like thith?"

"Because it's uncommon for mermaids to have powers, that ability is extremely rare, and I just wanted you guys to be able to join me so we can spend the night together under the stars. I didn't think this would happen."

Great, I was an even bigger freak. Why did I agree to drink mermaid blood in the first place? I'm stupid for think this would go over well. I wasn't even listening as Feferi and Eridan talked to each other. Why was I even around when all I did was bring them problems? My head hurt and it was almost like there was static buzzing in my ears. My skin felt warm, too warm, almost like it was burning. Oh god, what was happening to me now? Please let this not be some mermaid reading my mind or some stupid bullshit. "Guyth, what'th happening?!"

They looked over quickly, Feferi saying something to Eridan, what I don't know. They looked scared. I don't want to scare them, what am I doing? Feferi shook me, and then she kissed me deeply without hesitation. Slowly everything seemed to fade to normal and she stopped.

"What wath that?"

"You got upset and your abilities started going crazy."

"Wait, that wath jutht becauthe I was upthet?"

"Your eyes w-were flickering to Sol!"

"No, they couldn't have-"

"Yes they were." Feferi looked me in the eyes, almost like she was looking for something. "It was really easy to seen in this eye." Her hand went over my right eye. "The other one not so much, but maybe that's because it's brown? Hey, why do you have different colored eyes?"

"I jutht do."

"Oh. Well, you need to stay calm alright?"

I nod in agreement, not really sure I'm happy with my decision anymore.


	6. Chapter 6

Fuck mermaid magic. We all collectively decided to not mention anything to do with the sudden changes for Eridan and myself. Since Dualscar was rarely home, we didn't really have to worry about him spotting us around his own home, which ironically should be the most dangerous place for us to be.  
There was a tide pool not too far from Eridan's house, and we decided to to go exploring. We spent most of the day looking at the little crabs scuttle around and having the water spray us as it hit the rocks. It was actually amazing what could be found in the tide pools. At one point Feferi almost got stuck as the tide started to drop, but Eridan and I helped carry her the small distance over the rocks back to the water.  
As the sun started to drop we all sat together at the little pier to watch the sunset. It was amazing, and just as the sun slipped below the horizon we looked up and watched as the stars slowly filled the sky.  
Eridan and Feferi decided they would sleep right under the pier together, but I can't breath underwater for very long so I had to sleep on the pier. Eridan went and got me his sleeping bag so I be laying directly on the wood. As soon as I had it the sleeping bag laid out I was off to sleep.

"Hey, Captor, wake up." Someone nudged my shoulder. I looked up to see Dualscar, much to my surprise. "Hawe you seen my son?"  
"He wath out here with me, but he might have gone inthide."  
"I knew he was a pansy." Dualscar sighed as he headed inside. As soon as he was out of view I hopped in the water, trying to nudge Eridan awake. When that didn't work I just tried dragging him onto the pier.  
"Sol?" He climbed onto the pier half asleep. "W-what are you doing?"  
"You're dad came out here looking for you."  
"Eridan, why are you wet?" Dualscar stomped over.  
"I w-was sleeping on the boat, and I heard you and got up and fell in the w-water."  
"That would hawe been nice to know before I went back inside. Why are you two sleeping outside?"  
"We were hoping to thpot the fuchthia fith, but it didn't work."  
"You can't spot anything while you're sleeping."  
"W-why are you looking for a fuchsia fish anyw-way?"  
"That is none of your concern." Dualscar growled. With that he head back inside as he grumbled angrily under his breath.  
"Do you think he know-ws Fef isn't a fish?"  
"Yeth."  
"That can't be good."  
"There ithn't a lot of good about him on a normal day."  
"I'm going back to sleep." I stopped him as he hopped back in the water. He looked at me slightly confused.  
"What if your dad cometh out here again."  
"Know-wing him he probably left already."  
"What about FF?"  
"W-we can talk to her about this in the morning."

"So I can't go to the beach?" Feferi looked between the two of us, distraught. It wasn't easy telling her this.  
"My dad is looking for you. If he catches you then you w-will never get to see the ocean again."  
"Maybe it'th thafer for you to go back to the othean."  
"No, you don't understand!" Feferi wrapped her arms around both of us. "I love you both, and I couldn't just go back."  
"W-what do you mean? It's dangerous here."  
"Yes, but if I go back home my mother will kill me!"  
She rather get caught then grounded? "What, why?"  
"Look, I don't know how it is for humans, but when a mermaid takes the thrown they have to fight the one who ruled before them. I've never heard of a time where the battle wasn't to the death, ever. Even if my sister takes the thrown she might kill me since I'm a threat to the thrown, so I can't go back. If I lose I will die, and if I win I will be caught up in the country affairs."  
That surprised Eridan and myself, both of us caught off guard by that response. "What the fucking hell type of thythtem ith that?!"  
"A flawed one."  
"Is that w-why you have stayed near the shore?"  
"Sort of. I was trying to see if maybe humans had a weapon that could help me beat her. I wanted to bring reform to the system, but I could find anything. Slowly I got interested in humans, I found things about them really interesting, I started following Eridan around because I saw him out on the waters the most, I watched you guys on the beach, and I wanted to talk to you guys. I never knew how I would start it, but then you fell in the water and that's how it all start between us." Feferi looked up into our eyes, and for a moment I almost thought she was scared, but Feferi wasn't someone who got scared. She was worried.  
"W-when do you go along the shore?"  
"At night."  
"W-well maybe go at daw-wn and dusk then. People go during the middle of the day and the middle of the night."  
"Ithn't it low tide around then? If the goeth around dawn and duthk the would have to avoid the thore or the might get thtuck on the beach."  
Eridan thought a moment. "How-w close do you get to the beach?"  
"Really close."  
"Like close enough you might get stuck by low-w tide?"  
She looked like a kid caught sneaking something. "Maybe."  
"That's probably w-why you w-were getting spotted."  
"The cool stuff is always on the beach, not in the waves."  
"FF, we are jutht trying to help you. Maybe you could thtop checking the beacheth for a few dayth? Jutht check every few dayth?"  
"What if someone comes and picks it all up to get rid of it?"  
"I've tried getting people to keep the beaches clean for tw-wo years now-w. Trust me, it w-will still be there unless I get it or you do."  
Feferi seemed a little surprised by that, but she seemed to accept it. Maybe Dualscar would give up finding her. And maybe we would all end up in happy sunshine kitten land.


	7. Chapter 7

My phone started going off, a check of the time revealing it was barely half way till six. If it hadn't been Eridan who was calling me I would have gone back to sleep. "Thith better be important fithdick."  
"Feferi is gone."  
I sat up quickly, trying to keep my phone to my ear. "What? What happened?"  
"I w-was sleeping next to her under the dock and w-when I w-woke up she w-was gone. I think she might have gone to the beach."  
"But it'th not even thix. Who would thee her?"  
"My dad's at the beach. Sol, low tide would is around this time."  
"I'll be at the beach thoon." I hung up the phone, wrestling on clothes as I raced out the door. I almost forgot to close the door behind me as I went out. This wasn't good, especially if Feferi was stuck on the beach. I drag my bike down the apartment stairs and as soon as I get to the sidewalk start peddling. The street lights were starting to turn off as the sun slowly climbed it's way to the horizon and colored the sky gold and red. The streets were clear except for the occasional early morning jogger or car.  
The wind whipped against my ears as I peddled as hard as I could down the streets, feet stomping down one after the other in hopes of going faster. I skid around turns and barreled down streets, barely skidding to a stop at the end of the pavement in time to keep from plowing head first into the sand. I might as well have, because I stumbled off my bike anyway. As soon as I was back to my feet and not flopping on the ground like an idiot, I was checking the shore line for any sign of Feferi.  
Eridan's house was past the other end of the beach, so he was probably doing like I was, running like an idiot along the shore line in hopes of finding a bubbly fuchsia mermaid. I really hope we find her before anyone finds her, or even us. I'm sure I'm probably fine, but Eridan might have trouble explaining his ear fins if he was so panicked he didn't even try covering them before starting his search.  
Sand, sand, sand, sea foam, more sand, and waves. This search was going great so far. I think I see someone a bit further down the beach. I hope it's Eridan, and it might be someone else. Who else would he be out here with? More people in a group, so maybe someone got hurt? I still have trouble making out who it is.  
Wait, I recognized that burly man. Dualscar had found something, and with the looks of the people with him it couldn't be good. I got closer only to freeze as the glint of the early morning light off fuchsia scales caught my attention. He found Feferi before we had.  
Feferi glared up at him, ear fins flared out. People were keeping her from escaping into the water, leaving her only choice to be captured. She dug a hand into one of her pockets, pulling out the little purple squirt gun. In complete seriousness, she rose the gun so it was directed at Dualscar's face, and to everyone's surprise, stated 'pew pew' as she pulled the trigger. At this point I would have been laughing at Dualscar's confused expression if it weren't for the fact Feferi is done for.  
Next thing I knew Dualscar was on the ground with Feferi biting his ankle and the other men hurrying to pull her off of him as he let loose a stream of curses. By the time they got her off of him I was trying to get them away from her. Of course these guys were all big burly men who lifted heavy crates all day and I was a scraggly computer nerd, so I barely could do any help before I was on the ground trying to catch my breath from the punch to the gut I was just dealt not a moment later.  
Finally Eridan fucking showed up so it wasn't just me getting my ass kicked over here. Not surprising to anyone, Eridan was much better at handling the crazy muscled men until his dad pushed him over onto the sand. "Hawen't seen a fuchsia fish huh? I'm starting to wonder why you thought it important to lie to me Eridan."  
"But I haven't seen a fuchsia fish."  
"You think this is a game? You knew what I meant, so why?"  
"Maybe because I didn't w-want to because you are a horrible person."  
Oh great, now Dualscar was mad. He grabbed Eridan by the front of his shirt and yanked him to his feet. Unfortunately that meant his shirt rode up his sides and if they went up any more his side gills would be visible. I tried getting to my feet only to be shoved back into the sand. I'm not sure what happened while my stupid self was face-planted in the sand, but when I looked up I definitely could see Eridan's gills on his sides. Besides Feferi and I, it was very obvious everyone else was shocked.

"Check him." Dualscar snapped, and instantly I was dragged up by my shirt collar. My shirt was yanked up to my shoulders, but I didn't have side gills. Dualscar did a flick of his wrist and I was dropped back onto the sand. Next thing I knew they were carrying Feferi and Eridan off. The moment I tried reaching them I was shoved back, a fist pulled back before it swung forward and I'm not sure what happened after that. I was blacked out on the beach.


	8. Chapter 8

When I woke up I was still near the edge of the beach, blaring headache and water going up to my neck with each wave to drop back to my feet. I get up, trudging down the waters edge in silence. Feferi and Eridan were gone and I had been fucking useless to help either of them. I hadn't done anything except pass out in the sand. Who knows what's happening to them right now at the aquarium.  
I tripped over some rocks and landed on even more rocks due to my inability to watch where I was going. I should have payed attention, but at this point I don't care anymore. They're gone, I'm a failure, and there's nothing I could do about it. I would probably only see them if Dualscar put them in the aquarium rather than one of the tanks in his home, and either way he probably wouldn't let me anywhere close to the tank's openning. Maybe I could practice my powers enough to use them?  
I picked up a stone, holding it in my hand a moment, and even though I tried to skip it I ended up just throwing it roughly at the water. Who was I kidding? I have no clue what I'm doing with these stupid powers, and who knew how long it would take to learn them! I could hurt myself by training to hard, much less end up getting found out. What was I going to do, throw ninja stars at them? Actually, that might be a good idea, but then I would probably need more than six ninja stars to attempt a rescue.  
I look over at all the pebbles and rocks around me. I try throwing them so they will skip, but with my powers this time. The first few were to erratic, but by the fifth it skipped once across the tide pool. Maybe get it across two tide pools next. By the ninth one I got one to skip two tide pools, but it then hit a rock in the way to the third and fell into the water. A wave made it over the edge of the rocks and splashed into the tide pools. So much for that.  
Maybe I could lift Eridan and Feferi out with my powers? A little crab scuttled by and I tried lifting that, but a soft little crack was heard and I dropped it back in the water instantly. I tried figuring out what happened just to realize it was a little crack on its back. I was a bit relieved I hadn't killed it on accident.  
"You're doing it all wrong, beach." I spun around to see a mermaid girl on the edge of the rocks, looking at me. She looked like Feferi, but she was a bit slimmer, her long hair cut jaggedly short except for two long braids that easily went past her tail fin. Her tail scales and eyes were fuchsia, ear fins riddled with several piercings, and shining bracelets stacking from her wrists to her elbows. Her shirt was torn up to the point it almost looked like bandages horribly fastened together to attempt being a shirt. It took me a moment to realize that it actually was shreds of different shirts horribly stitched together.  
"I'm doing what wrong?"  
"Don't pretend you weren't just doing that buoy. The mind thing to skip the rocks!" She shot me a look. "You ain't fooling me."  
Didn't Feferi say mermaids would attack me over this thing. Oh shit, I should probably go. "Uh, I have to go."  
A flail of limbs and fins later, she had me pinned under her. "Now listen here, I ain't reely up for this squdding around hullabeluga. So how aboat you let me kelp you?"  
"Get off of me."  
"Look, you aren't getting betta just by waterever you think will work, unless you want to be out here for ever. You have to do it right if you want to get betta much schooner then eternity from when you started." Oh god her puns were bad. "And where did you get those powers anyways, because I dolphinatly had nofin to do with it."  
"Feferi."  
"Reely? Where my gill at?"  
"The was captured."  
"Water you doing out here throwing rocks for then?"  
"I thought if I could improve maybe I could rethcue her."  
"In that case." She tugged up my shirt. "No gills? Reely buoy?"  
"It jutht didn't happen."  
"No wonder you're stuck throwing tiny rocks!"  
"I can lift way heavier!" To prove it I tried lifting one of the bigger rocks. I ended up giving myself a nose bleed, but I lifted a rock a bit bigger than me up a bit from the water. I ended up dropping it a few seconds later as I choked on the blood dripping down my nose. The girl let me up instantly and I held my hoodie sleeves to my nose.  
"Cod damn guppy, you're stronger than you look." She eyed me like I lifted something unbelievably heavy, which might be the case. "A little pracfishing and your plan might not be a fintasy after all. Although my kelp would be needed, I cod have you strong enough to lift a ship like it was nofin."  
Was she just saying this. "Why would you help me?"  
"Only royals can fight for the throne, and I ain't one to sit around on my tail fin all day. If Feferi takes it then I won't have to."  
Of course I run into Feferi's sister. "How do I know you aren't lying?"  
"Why would I bust out somefin I don't need to deal with? Besides, I could just force you to be my slave if I wanted to, use you as a weaprawn against my mother, but instead I'm ottering to kelping you with Feferi."  
That was probably true and with how strong she was compared to me in comparison I wasn't exactly in a position to fight her. "Fine."

"Only on one condition."

I knew there was something. "What?"

"I kelp you rescue Feferi and you kelp her take the throne."

"What, but...fine."

"Good, now sit your ass down and pay attention. Your crappie powers have lobsta potential, only if your moby don't break every time you use to much."

"I can't co-"

"Buoy, clam the hull up and let me finish! Now, my sister glubbed up and didn't give you enough blood. Moray blood and you can handle yourshellf."

Oh fucking hell no, not this shit again. I backed up and she glanced over. "Not again."

"Why not?" Her angry question snapped. "It's for the betta."

"It fucking sucked! It hurts!"

"Well, you know the eeling, so even if you don't pike it you should know what's coming this time at least. Do it for your frond?"

I wasn't happy with this, but for Feferi and Eridan? I would be able to save them, and I probably wouldn't end coughing every time I went underwater as well. I didn't really have much choices or strength so maybe an hour or so of pain versus maybe never seeing them again. If I didn't set them free they would be imprisoned in fish tanks, probably until the day they died. What kind of asshole am I to even think leaving them in that situation is even an option?

I hesitated at the thought of being in all that pain again, but I had to. "Fine, I will."


	9. Chapter 9

(AN: Sorry I was gone a bit, I lost my computer)

My breath came in pants as the pain finally faded, belly down on the rocks since my legs had given up on me half way through. "Damn, that must hurt pike a beach." Meenah stated, looking down at my sprawled form. I barely had the energy to keep my eyes on her. I didn't even move as she pulled my shirt up. Her hands went to my ears, tugging on them slightly with a frown but getting over it. She flipped me over to my back. "There, now you can lay down and pay attention at the same time."  
"Can I thleep yet?"  
"No, we got things to do."  
"I'm exhauthted."  
"Fine, but only for a moment."  
It felt like I had barely closed my eyes before I was splashed with water. It surprisingly didn't feel freezing cold, but a nice amount of cold. Something was pressed to my lips, and I glared at Meenah. "I caught you a fish."  
I managed to swat at her hand. "Humanth can't eat raw fith."  
"You aren't very human, now are you?" I glared at her, not really having much more energy than that. "Alright, but there has to be somefin that changed if your ears didn't. Hey, water these? They look cool." I felt her lift up my foot.  
"Feet."  
"What's on the feet doofish?"  
"Thoeth." She started pulling them off. "Hey, what are you doing?"  
"Checking." She had my shoes and socks off in moments, one hand on my ankle a moment later and the other pushing up my pant leg. "Whale, now we know what happened! Your legs almost became fins."  
"What?"  
She held up my leg, and I was surprised. A few golden scales speckled my ankles, along with obvious webbing between my toes. This can't be good.  
"If you're tired why keep you. Now I know why."

I sat up only to find that I wasn't in the same place I had fallen asleep. Was this a cave or something? Well, duh where else would I be, but why was everything so dark? Something felt different, and it took me a moment to realize I was underwater. I looked around frantically, but whatever I was trying to see was hidden in the dark.  
"Hey, lesson one. Use your powers."  
"How ith that thuppothed to help me?"  
"Just do it shrimp."  
I wasn't sure what to do, so I just tried focusing on the powers themselves rather than an object, which was easier when you can't see anything. Suddenly things seemed to light up, everything dully lit in red and blue flickers. At first I was wondering how, but then I realized it was my eyes and speckles down my sides. The hell was going on here?

"Pick up that crab!" Meenah threw said crab at me again. I try catching it for what felt like the millionth time only to crack its shell like the other crabs. She brought her arm back to throw the other crab she had.  
"Thtop!" I accidentally knocked Meenah off the rock she was perched on and into the waves with a splash. Oh shit I just hit Meenah with my stupid dangerous mental powers. "Meenah! Oh thit." I was immediately at the edge of the water just to see Meenah staring up at me. "Fuck, I hurt you didn't I?"  
"Nope. Whale, now do that again." Meenah threw something at me, and I caught it only to see it was the crab she was going to throw at me. I didn't hear a single crack from it and I couldn't see any cracks on it.

"Can I go home yet? It'th been three dayth. My family might be giving a thit by now."  
"Nope. Parcfish, rescues, and kelping Feferi first."  
"But what if my dad thinkth I'm dead?"  
"So what? He's still got a your mom right? Maybe a sibling?"

"My mom'th dead."

"Oh, whale that sucks, but you can't go back. Sorry to burst your bubble, but do you know you look different than a normal human?"

Oh yeah, I looked like a freak. Great, can't go home. "Jutht how much more parctithe do I need?"

"Just a little more guppy." Meenah gestured back to the big rock I picked up when I first saw her. "Imma sit on that rock. Pike it up without hurting me or breaking the rock." With that Meenah swam over and climbed onto said rock.

I could barely pick it up that one time. Now I had to with Meenah on it without hurting her. Maybe just pick up the rock? No, it might crack. Maybe like how I picked up the crabs? That might not be strong enough. You know what? Fuck it, I'm trying whether I'm doomed to fuck it all up or not.

I focus like I did on the crabs, and to my surprise I lifted it with only a little effort. When did I get so strong this seemed almost effortless? Meenah looked surprised, like she expected some sort struggle to go down lifting this big ass rock. There was no struggle, just a bit of a delay from when I started to when I stopped with a vague flicker of blue and red around the now floating rock and herself. Slowly I put the rock back down.

"Was that hard?"

"No. Now what?"

She put a hand on my shoulder, and gave an approving nod. "You're ready shrimp."


	10. Chapter 10

I have no idea where Meenah got ahold of these clothes, but considering they're dry and covering I don't really think I care. There was a wallet as well, and after realizing she stole from one of those working under Dualscar I promptly stopped giving a shit about taking them. I had to tie the shoes as tight as possible to keep them from slipping off and the hoodie was big, but at least the pants fit me.  
I had to scope the aquarium out before my daring rescue, so there goes twenty bucks. I don't think the person at the door recognized me, but my eyes were covered by 3D glasses I managed to get at the thrift store as part of my disguise and my hair was a bit of a mess from spending so long out in the water. Either way, I was in the aquarium.  
The first area was smaller fish in little tanks in the walls. There was no way Eridan or Feferi would be over here because I knew from helping my dad that there weren't any tanks big enough over here for them if they were here at all. I heard the word mermaid a few times, but I didn't catch what people were saying. I walked on to the next area.  
Tanks were bigger, with more fish and some cylindrical tanks in the center of the room. I didn't spot Eridan or Feferi, but I did see schools of fish swimming idly. There was a shark as well, but I didn't see anything out of the ordinary. Someone mentioned there was a mermaid here, another saying the think it's a gimmick. I decided to walk down a tunnel way through a tank to the next area of tanks.  
Of course, the next area had a shallow tank so people could touch rays and sharks and the occasional other fish. There wasn't much else over here except signs explaining the rules of touching the fish and some other stuff talking about fish. People were definitely talking about a mermaid with fuchsia scales. I quickly started rushing through to find where she was, not lingering in rooms looking at tanks. Of course, no running in the aquarium so I had to walk all the way through the aquarium to where she should be.  
Each step I took seemed to make it seem like I was farther and farther away. Maybe it wasn't Feferi but a girl dressed as a mermaid in the same style? Maybe it was Feferi, but did I want to see her trapped in a tank with people gawking at her?  
Quickly I was swept into the next room, and while I couldn't get up close to the tank I could already see Feferi trying hard to ignore everyone. It must be hard with the flashes going off from cameras and kids getting up to the tank just to pound on the glass and all eyes on you in a fish tank in the center of the room. I remember that they had beautiful glittering schools going in circles around the tank just days before now when we still thought we could shake off Dualscar and Feferi thought she wouldn't get caught.  
I don't know what's happened the past few days, but for her I can only imagine that it's been a nightmare for her and Eridan. I couldn't find Eridan, and this was the only room with tanks left besides the jellyfish room, and I doubt he would be there. Alone for days, Eridan gone, no clue if I was alright either, everything she had taken away and shoved into a tank for people to stare at her, it's a relief she isn't one to panic. She looked at the sand, refusing to look up at anyone and acting like no one was there.  
How would I bust out the most public exhibit here? Sure, I could punch threw the tank with my powers, but it would be to obvious. To many people for broad daylight to be an option. I could sneak in after hours, but with the amount of people she drew in she would probably be guarded. I would definitely be caught on camera, maybe even shot full of tranquilizers, then my dad would get involved, then this would probably get blown out of proportion. I needed someone to help keep me under the radar.  
A whistle squealed sharply, grabbing people's attention along with the guards as the tried getting threw the thick, packed crowd. "It is unethical to do this!" I immediately recognized Aranea from where she was standing on Kankri's shoulders, whistle in his mouth and tight grip on her ankles. "Humans find mermaids, majestic and amazing people of myth and legend and we trap this poor girl in a tank?" Kankri started trying to slowly get further from the guards as the tried making their way towards them. "We should free this girl from the plastic water prison we have forced her into! Will we let this horrible place keep her from fre- ahhhhhh!" Aranea fell over with Kankri as a guard pushed them to the ground. The other guard fell upon them soon enough and the two were dragged out kicking and screaming.  
As much as I hate to go to team social-justice-chatter-boxes, they might be the only people who want Feferi free as much as I do. Also, they were fucking bat shit crazy enough to attempt a rescue for Feferi, so since I lacked options I headed after them. It wasn't hard to miss two face planted teens to the side of the aquarium. "Are you guyth theriouth about helping her or jutht going to uthe wordth?"  
Kankri looked ticked, but he was busy trying to stop his nosebleed so he didn't say anything, at least for now. Aranea sighed," Of course we want to he..." They both looked over, surprised like I was a ghost or something. "... Sollux? You're okay."  
"How'd you guyth know I wath gone?"  
"Mituna was a mess when you disappeared, and he hasn't stopped crying since they found just your shoes washed up on the beach. Your family thought you drowned!"  
"I didn't though."  
"Then why didn't you go back?! Your dad and Mituna are crushed!"  
"I thhould have, but I can't anymore. I have to thave Feferi and Eridan, but if I get caught it'th over for me. I need your help."  
Aranea looked confused. "Help? You shouldn't be rescuing a mermaid, you should be going home to your family. Sollux, this is crazy! We can handle this."  
"I jutht need you to help me."  
"How could you help?"  
I looked around, and when I couldn't spot cameras I took off my shades before gently lifting them both back to their feet. They were even more surprised than when they saw me, and when I let go they swayed a bit. "I could punch a hole through the tank, but if I got caught- you know, problemth and a bunch of utter bullthit I don't need to deal with."  
"How did you do that?"  
"I'll explain later. Will you help me or not?"  
"You're busting the mermaid girl out?"  
"Yeth."  
"Alright, we'll help. What's the plan?"

The lock was trick, but soon we were in the back way and the power was out. My powers and flashlights lit the way and besides running water, skidding wheels, and our footsteps the aqarium was silent. I looked back to see Kankri was doing fine dragging along the wheelchair. I was in the lead, but only because I've been here before. Slowly we found our way over to where Feferi's tank was.  
"So, how do we wake her up?" Kankri asked. "While I am more than willing to assist, we don't have dive gear nor does she seem a light sleeper. Would your powers be of use?"  
"Going to have to, but I can't thee her very well tho hold on." I focused on her, bringing her up to the surface before letting her fall into Aranea's arms. Quickly we had a blanket covering her and a hoodie on her before putting her in the wheelchair. We raced off for the exit in hopes that no one noticed us during this adventure.  
"Sollux?" Feferi asked, slowly starting to wake up.  
"FF!"  
"What?!" Aranea almost slowed down, but along with me was ahead of the wheelchair, so slowing down wasn't much of an option. "You know her?"  
"I'll explain later. FF, do you know where ED ith?"  
"He isn't here, he's at his house."  
"Ith that good or bad?"  
"Bad."  
"Do you guys know Cronus' house?"  
"Yes, why?"  
"We need to go to there."  
"Why?"  
"Some is there that needs help as well."  
It was surprisingly silent the rest of the way back to the minivan. The door was slid open and we worked together to get Feferi into the car before heading on our way.


	11. Chapter 11

"So, why is it we are going to Mister Ampora's house in the dead of night? It isn't exactly an optimal time for a visit." Kankri spouted over his shoulder, eyes locked on the road.  
"Becauthe Eridan ith there."  
"No, Eridan was found dead about four days ago and is at the cemetery."  
"He's not dead!" Feferi frowned. "I saw him alive just two days ago! The his dad has him."  
"Why would his dad hide him and say he's dead?"  
"Leth cut to the chathe and jutht thay he'th different."  
"What, like you?" Aranea asked.  
"No, like ear finth and gillth."  
Aranea shot me a questioning glance. "Did you say gills? That's impossible, I've seen him before, and he doesn't have gills."  
"You've seen me before. Have I had mind powers?"  
"That's different. It's not physical."  
I lifted up my hoodie to reveal my sides. Aranea's eyes went wide, and for a moment she didn't even realize her jaw dropped. Feferi was surprised as well actually touching my side. It was sensitive as fuck so I immediately yanked my hoodie back down.  
"Sollux?" Feferi was giving my a questioning look.  
"Meenah." Color drained from Feferi's face as she looked over at me.  
"What did she do to you?"  
"I'm fine, the wanted you to be rethcued."  
"I'm sorry, but who's Meenah?" Aranea looked between the two of us. We stopped talking as the car went over a bump. Kankri hit the brake, yanking the steering wheel to the side then the other and back again, the car spun and the tires screeched. As soon as he threw it in park I opened the door and got out. Amazingly enough, through all that he nailed parallel parking in between a hydrant and the wall before reaching Eridan's house.  
"I'm staying to watch the car." Kankri started," For reasons such as Feferi's inability to walk, although I do hope I don't trigger you Fe-"  
Aranea and I quickly got out of the car and headed for the house. "How do you guyth get along?"  
"If I convince him it makes things better for him he helps me out." Aranea stated. "Not many people sit through my stories either."  
"Tho plan withe, we're jutht getting Eridan and getting out undetected."  
"That might be a problem."  
"Why?"  
"Cronus is home."  
"How do y-" I stopped as I could start hearing the all to familiar voices singing 'grease lightning' coming from an open window. Aranea just went straight to the door and knocked, the song immediately pausing. There was the sound of something getting knocked over and a slight pause before Cronus opened the door.  
"Aranea?" He went from surprised to leaning in the door frame. "Changed your mind?"  
"Is your dad home?"  
"Nope, just me."  
"Can Sollux and I come in?"  
"Please tell me you aren't trying to invite ghosts into my house." Cronus sighed.  
"I'm not dead idiot. I'm here for Eridan."  
Cronus looked crushed a moment. "Sorry chief, but he's... dead."  
"You're not going to believe this, but he's alive." Aranea stated. Cronus slipped, quickly scrambling back to his feet. "If you let us in we can prove it."  
Cronus held the door wide open for us, not hesitating a moment. I remember some of the house, and like the aquarium Dualscar had large tanks around the house full of glittering fish placed around in the center of the rooms or along the walls.  
"Where'th your dad'th room at?"  
"He gets the entire third floor, so I'm not exactly sure. Why does that matter though?" Cronus asked confused. "What does that have to do with Eridan?"  
I headed up the stairs to find a small room to start off the third floor with a bookcase, a couch, another fish tank, a window looking out, and a door. I checked the door to find it locked, but it was unlocked soon enough and I swung it open. More fish tanks, shelves of assorted items, and a bathroom, and them one more door. It filled the remainder of this floor.  
"How'd you get the door open?" Cronus asked. It turned around to see him in the doorway, concerned. "Only my dad has the key to the door."  
"I unlocked it."  
Cronus hadn't even stepped into the room yet. He looked around the room, but he didn't come in yet. I opened the door and swung it open. "Come on." I headed in.  
The room was big, the closet didn't have a door really, and the first thing you saw when you walked in was the big bed in the center of the room. A tank ran along the side wall, and when I stepped in more it ran up to the wall and round the door. It was an impressive size and filled with many fish, plants, and different decorative pieces. Of course, I found Eridan balled up in the far corner, out of view form where I had been at the doorway moments earlier.  
Eridan didn't look happy in any meaning of the word. He had his back to the room and was pressed in the corner like he thought the fake kelp was enough to hide him. He didn't have anything on him besides a few glittering pieces of jewelry, a skirt, and a tube top for reasons I don't understand and I'm not sure I want to, his hair pulled into pigtails over his ear fins. I partially wanted to laugh at him because this was hilarious, but it was also twisted and disturbing to know he could only wear what Dualscar wanted him to wear and probably didn't have a choice in the matter.  
If I broke a tank that big it would soak through the floor to the room below, and considering that was Cronus' room and he was helping that was a bad idea for last resort. I walked out of the bedroom and grabbed a chair. "What are you doing?"  
"Eridan'th trapped in the tank. I got to find out where the tank opening ith."  
Cronus immediately picked up the chair and carried it into the room. He set it by the start of the tank by the door. "Where's he at?"  
"Over here." I lead the way over, and as soon as Cronus spotted him he had the chair set up in front of that section of the tank, pushing the top of the metal paneling above it. The tank was opened in moments. Of course, Eridan didn't move at all. "ED, get out of the tank."  
He spun around to see me kneeling on the other side of the clear wall. Eridan was really trying and Cronus was having a hard time pulling him out, so I gave a boost to get Eridan out. Cronus almost fell in dragging Eridan out of the tank, instead falling back on the bed as the sudden weight shift made him lose balance.  
Eridan hugged Cronus like if he let go he would be back in the tank, Cronus hugging him in relief that he wasn't dead. "Oh fucking god, thank you!" Eridan almost sounded like he was crying, but it was hard to tell considering he was soaking wet with a death grip. I awkwardly had to stand here, watching the two hug. I can't really blame them considering the probably traumatizing situation Eridan went through and the definite pain of think Eridan was dead that Cronus went through.

"How-w'd you get in here?" Eridan asked.

"Well chief, I have no clue. Your buddy here got the door open."

Eridan looked over to me. "How-w'd you get it open?"

"Let'th jutht thay mermaid magic and get out of here before your dad geth back."

"Can I change clothes please? Fuck, what about Fef?"

"The'th thafe."

"Hey, where's Aranea?" Cronus asked. We just looked over in the next room to find her looking over all the pirate and seaside folklore. "We should probably go back down stairs."

"Hm? Oh, right." Aranea headed down the stairs. As soon as everyone was out of the room I locked the door again. Eridan needed a moment in his room before he came back out in his usual clothes, scarf a bit messed up but otherwise fine. We headed out the door, back to the minivan.


	12. Chapter 12

Waking up in the back of a minivan sucked, but waking up in the back of a minivan with Karkat yelling 'wake up fuckface' while trying to shake me awake was a bit worse. I wanted him to stop, and he did, but then I realized I was holding him in the air to do so. I dropped him, now fully awake and not sprawled across the car's bench seat.  
"Thorry KK."  
"The hell was that?"  
"I didn't mean it, calm down."  
"I was just floating while trying to wake you up, so tell me what the fuck is going on here?"  
"He has telekinesis Kar." Eridan was waking up, sitting up from his spot on the floor.  
"You mean to tell me this fucker has telekinesis?"  
"Yes, that's exactly w-what I'm saying."  
"Since when?"  
"Thince about almotht two weekth ago."  
"Wow, thanks for telling your best friend you're suddenly psychic and with a mermaid and a doche canoe, no offense Eridan but you act like a tool sometimes."  
"That w-was mean Kar, but I know-w."  
"I'm just saying it because we're bros, and bros are real with each other."  
"Oh, okay."  
"If you guys want food you're going to have to get up and come get it. Mom made bacon and Feferi is already inside."  
"You left uth in the van but took Feferi inthide?"  
"She wanted to sleep in water, so we carried her in and put her in the bathtub. We don't know if she needs to sleep in water or not." Karkat headed inside, and after actually getting up Eridan and I got up and headed inside as well.  
The smell of bacon hit as soon as I stepped in the door. For the first time in about a month things were starting to get normalish. Sure there was a mermaid at the table and Eridan and I were both freaks still, but it wasn't anything crazy and I had my powers under control. Today is just a simple day amongst friends for the time being.  
Bacon is fucking amazing. Not any weird bacon flavored stuff, just regular bacon. Feferi was amazed by bacon, and it was funny to see her reaction.

Pier, sunny sky, blurry people walking along. Some guy was sitting at the edge of the pier whistling when something seemed to get stuck with his fishing rod. "Of course the line is caught." He tugged, and when he leaned back some kid accidentally hit him hard in the back of the head with a bucket. He fell into the water unconscious and not noticed.

"Sollux! Fucking answer me! Are you in there?!" Karkat was shaking me. My head hurt, and it took a moment to realize that little daydream had cut everything around me off a moment.  
"Hi KK."  
Karkat actually started crying. "Don't scare me like that!"  
A moment later Mrs. Maryam, or was it Mrs. Vantas now, was checking my temperature. She looked at my eyes a moment, then looked over to where Feferi was. "Do you know anything about this Feferi?"  
"I'm not sure either. Sollux, what happened?"  
"I had a daydream about thome idiot who got knocked out by a kid and drowned. It doethn't make any thenthe."  
"I don't quite understand the last word dear."  
"He said sense." Eridan answered for me. Good thing someone could understand my fucking awful lisp.  
"Wait, could you hear him?" Feferi asked.  
"Yeah. He was muttering about his fishing line."  
"Did he die?"  
"Yes."  
"What time was it?" Feferi was looking me in the eyes, seriousness across her features.

"Midday, but why ith that important?"

"The flicker of your eyes, head pain, almost passing out, you just saw someone who is soon to be dead."

I couldn't have a normal day, and that guy was going to have a horrible day if Feferi was right. I hope she isn't right. Fuck me for wanting a normal day, am I right universe? "What? No that can't happen, right?" Feferi gave me no reassurance, and everyone else seemed to believe her as well. "Fuck, that'th going to happen ithn't?" Feferi nodded solemnly, not a sign of a smile on her usually cheery face.

I walked off, locking the door behind me as I went into the bathroom. Why the fuck do I have powers? Eridan couldn't get anything, no it had to be me. Honestly, I wouldn't wish this nightmare on Eridan either, nor the fucking tricky telekinesis that might accidentally hurt someone around me. Someone is at the door, but I don't want to deal with anyone right now. Of course, the lock starts clicking and rattling as someone tries getting in and I decide to just lay down in the bathtub with the shower curtain drawn.

"Who's in here?" Porrim asks as she comes in.

"It'th Thollux."

"What are you doing in here?"

"I had a pthychic death forethight. It'th not exactly friendly converthation."

"Is it set in stone that will happen."

"I don't know."

"How about trying to stop it? You know where it is right?"

"Yeah."

"Is it close by?"

"Pier. Not by the aquarium the other one."

"Anything else?"

"Can we get of the topic of me being a freak?"

"It's more of a superpower, but fine. I'll go check it out for you if you want."

"End of the pier, red polo, fithing, orange duck tape on hith tackle box handle. Have till midday until he geth athidentally knocked out with a big bait bucket."

"Got it." With that she walked out.

I spent a long time in the bathtub, how long I'm not sure. I don't think anyone realized I was in here or they unanimous agreed I was having a shitty day and needed alone time, either way was fine with me. After a while just sitting in the bathtub staying calm, Mrs. Maryam pulled a bit of the shower curtain near my head back.

"Sollux, Porrim just got back. She said that at first when the paramedics arrived they thought he was dead, but he pulled through just barely. The man would have died if he had been pulled out of the water any later."

Wow, a guy was almost dead and I saw it. I really hope this doesn't become a regular thing, because I don't want to see people dying. I'm moody enough without having to endure the soon to die every once and a while.


	13. Chapter 13

In two days I went from 'no more death visions please' to 'can you people shut up! Why are you all so stupid!', which is not exactly good. Why was it starting now of all times? No, it couldn't have slowly added more voices so I could get used to it, it had to escalate from one to several voices chattering in my head. They weren't knocking me out anymore, but it still gave me a headache to listen to them all.  
I'm starting to wonder why the fuck I let Meenah give me more mermaid blood. Maybe because I was an idiot, definitely because I just wanted to be with Feferi and Eridan again so we could hang out on the beach and be together. Now they were around Karkat or Kanaya more than they were with me because I didn't want them to worry about me. I'm ruining everything, again. I always had to ruin things.  
A voice starts talking again and I just bury my head in my arms. There wasn't much room because I was in the bathtub again, so I was stuck curled up on my side. Why won't they shut up? It hurt when they found their way into my head. A hand was rubbing circles in my back, and I snapped up only to regret that decision moments later as my head ached. Whoever it was hugged me and kept rubbing circles in my back even while I held onto my head with a death grip. Eventually the pain started getting tolerable again I opened my eyes, but my head was on whoever it was' shoulder, so I still didn't know who it was.  
It took a moment to remember the familiar feel of the arms that were around me, so I'm still a bit distracted by my own stupid head. "Eridan, thtop. I'm fine."  
"Maybe it's me, but fine isn't curled up in a bathtub w-whimpering and cursing Sol."  
"Don't hug me."  
"W-why, because of the pow-wers or because you haven't changed clothes in days?"  
I had to think about it a moment. "Both."  
"Kar offered to let you borrow clothes."  
"They're to thmall."  
"They're a bit short length w-wise, but you should be fine. It's not like you have anyw-where to be."  
Should I just tell him the real reason already? Feferi knew, or rather she checked me all over after I told her about Meenah and found it out. Fuck it, this is Eridan and if I try to keep him away anymore he will probably figure it out anyway, so might as well get it over with. "Eridan, I can't change clotheth becauthe my body ith fucking freakith."  
"W-what do you mean?"  
"I wathn't thtrong enough to thave you or FF. FF'th thithter offered me blood tho I could thave you guyth."  
Eridan didn't look happy to hear that. "Fef's sister?"  
"The thaw me on the beach. The wanth FF to take the throne inthtead of her tho the can do whatever without having to look out for athination attempth. The thaid I would be able to thave you guyth."  
"Sol, w-what did you do?" Eridan was definitely not happy to hear this. Instead of saying anything it took of my hoodie. His eyes widened. "W-why w-would you do that Sol?!"  
"You think I wanted to do thith? Hell no, it fucking hurt! I jutht wanted to see you to again!" My eyes were flashing, I could see it in the mirror. "Thit, thit, thit!" I covered up my eyes, palms pressed over them.  
"Should I get Fef?"  
"I don't know!" It wasn't stopping, if anything it was getting worse. "Get FF!" I heard his feet pound off down the hall. Great, what was happening now? The squeak of the wheelchair wheels didn't bring me much comfort. My head already felt like it was swimming and my palms felt too hot to be any sort of good.  
"Sollux, you need to calm down! Eridan is going to turn on the water, okay?"  
"I'm trying!"  
"That's not calm."  
"I'm trying to calm down, but it'th not working!"  
"Just don't uncover your eyes." Feferi stated. I kept my hands firmly over my eyes. The water started up, and I almost uncovered my eyes to grab my hoodie. "Don't!" I stopped, and after hearing the clicks of the zipper against the tub's edge I knew they pulled my hoodie out. How could I be so stupid that I almost uncovered my eyes and put them in danger just so my hoodie wouldn't get wet? I forgot the seriousness of the situation a moment, but still.  
The water felt nice, but I don't know how this is supposed to help me calm down. "Just breath in and out slowly."  
"FF, I don't think it'th working."  
"I don't know how to calm people down!"  
"I'll get Kar."  
"No, don't get KK."  
"W-why not?"  
"Gillth."  
I heard a sigh as he went off down the hallway in pounding steps of frustration. I would have gotten up if Feferi hadn't immediately wrapped her arms around me, it also kept my hands over my eyes. "Stay still." I felt something wrap around my chest. "It's a towel. You didn't want Karkat seeing your gills, so I'm covering them up."  
"Thank you FF. Hey, why do I have to keep my eyeth covered anyway?"  
"Whale, it's because if you don't your abilities will spin out of control and you'll end up blasting a hole through the wall."  
"That might pith of Karkat."  
"I heard that." Karkat stomped into the room. "Why is the tub full of water?"  
"I thought I might calm him down."  
"I don't think it's working very well, but that was a good try. What's this about him about to blast a hole in the wall?"  
"If he uncovers his eyes before he calms down he will destroy the wall."  
"How does covering his eyes stop it?"  
"If he can't see anything his powers can't focus on anything."  
"Oh. So if he calms down he should be back in control."  
"That's right."  
"Didn't know they spun out of control."  
"It's a defensive thing, so if he was under attack he could defend himself."  
"All we can do is calm him down? No mermaid trick to deal with his powers?"  
"Unless we hurt him yes."  
"Hurting him is bad." I heard shuffling from the bathroom cabinets, the sound of fabric, and felt something trying to slip under my hands. "It's to cover your eyes. Unlike your hands it won't leave your face to reach for things." I let the cloth slip over my face. It tightened a bit and I could hear the cloth slip along as the back was probably tied into a knot. "Slowly drop your hands. Good, and it stayed up, fuck yeah."  
"My virgin earth, KK."  
"Virgin ears my ass. You feeling alright? Does your head hurt?"  
"My head alwayth hurth."  
"Maybe you should drink more water."  
"Maybe I should, I don't fucking know."  
"Has this happened before."  
"Yes, but Fef calmed him dow-wn as soon as it started, plus he w-was w-weaker then."  
"Well, he's slowly getting calmer. Just take it easy Sollux."  
"I'm blindfolded in a bathtub tho I don't athidentally uthe my powerth. Explain why I'm thuppothed to be calmer by now."  
"Because calm Sollux doesn't look like he messed up in a game of pin the tail on the donkey that landed him in a bathtub of cold water?"  
"Thuch a way with wordth."


	14. Chapter 14

I haven't seen my dad in a while, or Mituna. I miss them, but I've got things to do, places to be, and I can't see them. Mermaid magic, blah, blah, blah.  
Feferi said she would go with Meenah to take back the throne, as soon I had told her of what Meenah had said in fact. Today Eridan and I were sneaking her out to the beach. We figured that Dualscar would calm down on finding Feferi at the beach after a few days. A few days had passed and now we were sneaking along the beach. All we had to do was get Feferi to the water and we would be good.  
Of course there are people on the beach at night. I never understood it myself, maybe it was so they could look up at the stars, I really don't know. There were a lot, way more than I think usually is out here. That wouldn't be a problem, except we had to push a mermaid in a wheelchair down the beach to the water where she would swim off and then carry said empty wheelchair back up the beach and head home. We didn't need people thinking we abandoned our crippled friend in the ocean to fend for themself.  
Honestly, the only way we could possibly get away with this is if one of us went ahead so that the one who went ahead could swap spots with Feferi. Well, we could let ourselves look like cripple ditching assholes, but then we would be on the same level as Vriska and neither of us want to be compared to that asshole.  
"Start heading dow-wn the beach already." Eridan stated calmly.  
"You want to drag my ath back up here?"  
"Can you get me back up here in a w-wheelchair w-without your pow-wers?"  
Fair point, so I snuck my way down the beach with my hood up, not really getting noticed by anyone as I slipped down beyond the rocks. "You came back. Thought you ditched me guppy. What took so long?"  
"Problemth."  
"You save Feferi?"  
"The'll be down here in a moment."  
"There you go!"  
We waited the tense moments of their slow arrival, the two of them slowly trudging their way through the sand and over the rocks. It did not look like they were having a great time getting down here. Finally, the wheelchair reached the water's edge out of sight from the beach. After some time trying to wrestle out of the blankets, Feferi found her way into the water.  
I don't want her to leave, but if she didn't there would be the imminent threat of her mother trying to kill her off. It was sad that it was harsh, sad she would go, but in a way she had to for her own good.

Feferi's arms wrapped around both Eridan and I, pulling us into tight hugs. "I'll miss you Fef."

"Yeah."

"Whale, codn't you guys come with me? You can't exactly go home, so maybe you could join me!"

Wait, why didn't we think of that? "Didn't you tell me to avoid mermaidth?"

"If I can beat my mother then you would be safe under my protection."

"Water you doing? They aren't like us, they're human."

"They can breath under water. You rather take over the throne?" Meenah sighed in response, already swimming ahead of us on the way out to sea. Feferi looked back over at the two of us with a smile. "Water you waiting for? Let's go!"

(AN: This was my first attempt at romance, so I apologize if it was really bad romance. Thank you for reading!)


End file.
